Patent Grant
8224355
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a system and method for creation and deployment of personalized, dynamic web services to access location information on individuals and objects. More particularly, the present invention relates in one embodiment to a system for creation of a personalized, dynamic, web-interface that accesses location information of a tracking unit associated with an individual or object that uses wireless data transfer and/or wireless location and tracking systems and wireless communication system (WCS).
2. Description of Related Technology
In conventional communication systems, location information of individuals may be monitored. For instance, location information such as positional coordinates may be tracked or monitored for a variety of individuals, such as children, Alzheimer's syndrome patients, or mentally ill persons. Furthermore, location information for animals, such as cats and dogs, may be tracked using these conventional systems to locate a lost or stolen animal. In other conventional communication systems, scientists, such as zoologists, track, for example, wild animals to study and collect data related to their mating and/or nocturnal behavioral patterns.
In addition, objects are also tracked or located that use these systems. For example, merchants choose to track the location of goods as part of an inventory function and/or an anti-theft mode. In another example, police often use location-tracking systems to facilitate recovery of stolen automobiles, such as the LoJack™ vehicle recovery system offered by the LoJack Corporation of Westwood, Mass., in the United States. Automobile rental agencies often track a location of automobiles that customers rent to ensure their automobile is maintained within a contracted rental use boundary. Other location systems provided in select automobiles assist a driver navigating to a desired destination, such as the OnStar™ system offered by the OnStar Corporation of Detroit, Mich., in the United States.
Global Positioning System (GPS) technology may be incorporated in these conventional communication systems. GPS technology determines positional information of a GPS receiver based on measuring signal transfer times between satellites having known positions and the GPS receiver. The signal transfer time of a signal is proportional to a distance of a respective satellite from the GPS receiver. Consequently, the distance between the satellite and the GPS receiver can be converted, utilizing signal propagation velocity, into a respective signal transfer time. The positional information of the GPS receiver is calculated based on distance calculations from at least four satellites.
As such, GPS technology provides outdoor, line-of-sight communication between a GPS receiver and a centralized station within areas that are unobstructed by fabricated structures and natural features. Fabricated structures may include multi-story buildings, bridges, dams, and the like. Natural features include mountains, hills, valleys, canyons, cliffs, and the like. Exemplary products, such as Wherifone™ and Guardian Lion™, use GPS technology to track individuals and/or objects from a centralized monitoring station.
Conventional centralized monitoring station in many instances use a map that may be two dimensional, or even a three-dimensional, topological map that depicts landscaping, marine, or other environments. The map typically displays representative icons of individuals and/or objects being tracked. In one example, a mobile device may display the three-dimensional map, including primary regions and sub-regions that are pre-programmed to create a series of overlay maps for viewing on a computer display. In yet another example, map information of a first and second user terminal is synthesized; a map is chosen based on the map information from the database; and the map information is displayed on at least one of the first user and the second user terminal. In another GPS conventional communication example, GPS positioning information is transmitted from a GPS unit and between peripheral devices, such as between a camera and a Palm Pilot, through a local wireless communication unit or interface.
In yet another example, a location of small wireless devices on roaming objects is determined by achieving ad-hoc short range wireless connectivity between the wireless devices and communication devices such as Bluetooth enabled mobile phones that pass by, where the communication devices can be located by other means, such as GPS or network-based technologies. Other examples include a location-determining device monitors at least one automatic sensor associated with a subject. Still other alert systems include upon a child feeling endangered, a panic button is pressed to send a panic signal to tell others their location. Still another conventional system depicts a personal security device that includes a manager initiating transmission of a signal to the monitoring network when a sensor senses that the transmitter has been removed from a user. Other conventional tracking and location systems include a central monitoring station utilizing software agents to analyze information received from remote tags, and to determine an appropriate action to take with respect to that information.
According to various prior art disclosing systems such as GPS signaling, graphics, and displays associated with user interfaces, which are described below and herein incorporated by reference. Systems generally representative of the patent prior art include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,064,711 to Strickland et al. entitled “Method for Iterative Determination of Distance between Receiving Station and Transmitting Station and Also Calculating Unit and Computer Software Product” that issued Jun. 20, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,244 to Akimov entitled “Method for Mapping a Three Dimensional Area” that issued Jun. 20, 2006; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,370 to Ogaki et al. entitled “Positioning Information Transmitting Device and Positioning Information Transmitting/Receiving System” that issued on Jun. 20, 2006. Other representative prior art patents describing still other GPS apparatus and methodology include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,065,348 to Aoki entitled “Communication System for Providing Information on Position of Communication Party” issued on Jun. 20, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,238 to Katz entitled “Wireless Location Determining Device” that issued on Dec. 26, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,049,957 to Watson entitled “Local Area Positioning System” that issued on May 23, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,674,368 to Hawkins et al. entitled “Automated Tracking System” that issued on Jan. 6, 2004.
Still other representative prior art patents and patent applications demonstrating additional elements of GPS systems include U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,995 to Nakajima entitled “Elevator Remote Monitoring Apparatus” that issued on Feb. 14, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,590 to Hoffman et al. entitled “Personal Security and Tracking System” that issued on May 2, 2006; U.S. Pat. No. 7,088,252 to Weekes entitled “Systems and Apparatus for Personal Security” that issued on Aug. 8, 2006; U.S. 2006/0232449 to Gonzalez entitled “Child Alert System” that published on Oct. 19, 2006; U.S. 2002/0067256 to Kail IV entitled “Reprogrammable Remote Sensor Monitoring System” that published on Jun. 6, 2002; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,149,189 to Huntington et al. entitled “Network Data Retrieval and Filter Systems and Methods” that issued on Dec. 12, 2006. Most recently, still other representative prior art patents involving personalized services include U.S. Pat. No. 7,272,212 to Eberle et al. entitled “System and Method for the Creation and Automatic Deployment of Personalized, Dynamic and Interactive Voice Services” that issued on Sep. 18, 2007, illustrating a system and method for combining personalized information broadcast technology with an active voice page.
Still more recent patent publications in user-oriented content systems, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety, include U.S. 2008/0059889 published on May 6, 2008, entitled “System and Method of Overlaying and Integrating Data with Geographic Mapping Applications” by Parker et al. discloses a geographical overlap system utilizing a client/server model that streams geographic data from a server system to a dynamically render vector based map layers inside a client browser; U.S. 2008/0010585 published on Jan. 10, 2008, entitled “Visual Document User Interface System” by Hundal, et. al. discloses a document and authoring tool for generating a digital document including a plurality of content channels providing primary content continuously in a looping manner and at least one supplementary channel on a single page; U.S. 2008/0059504 published on Mar. 6, 2008, entitled “Method and System for Rendering Graphical User Interface” by Barbetta discloses a customized graphical user interface that generates a merged file that is converted into one or more executable applications for generating the customized graphical user interface; U.S. 2007/0083819 published on Apr. 12, 2007, entitled “Method and System for Generating Pyramid Fisheye Lens Detail-In-Context Presentations” by Shoemaker discloses a system for generating a presentation of a region-of-interest in an original image for display on a display screen; U.S. 2007/033531 published on Feb. 8, 2007, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Context Specific Content Delivery” by Marsh discloses a method and apparatus for generating and delivering selected primary content and contextually-related, targeted secondary content to users; U.S. 2005/0071736 published on Mar. 31, 2005, entitled “Comprehensive and Intuitive Media Collection and Management Tool” by Schneider et al. discloses a media collection and management tool for collecting, managing, and configuring media and media related properties.
In summary, the prior art provides a user limited flexibility to adjust a controlled monitoring area about an object. In addition, the prior art provides limited flexibility for a user choosing and creating custom maps for viewing and locating objects. Furthermore, the prior art has limited ability calculating positional data of objects when GPS signaling is unavailable. In addition, the prior art provides limited flexibility in providing graphical displays that better utilize available system bandwidth and/or minimizing data transfer and data overhead requirements.
Thus, what is needed are apparatus and methods for wireless data transfer and/or wireless location and tracking systems that provide additional advantages over conventional systems. These advantages would include, inter alia, calculating positional data and location coordinates of tracking devices when GPS signaling is unavailable, providing graphical displays for subscribers which aid monitoring and tracking objects and/or individuals, providing security measures when monitoring tracking devices to prevent unauthorized detection and spying on individuals, and/or improving utilization of computer bandwidth and improved mapping graphical display capabilities over conventional systems.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a method is disclosed for providing location information of an object or individual to a subscriber on a webpage in a personalized format. The method includes the steps of providing a logon entry display to a user on the webpage; the display prevents keypad entries being recorded or stored with anti-key logger technology, and provides user access to a location management dashboard module in response to detecting a successful user logon. In one embodiment, the location management dashboard module includes a listing of one or more groups of tracking devices a user is capable of monitoring associated location coordinate information. Other method steps include providing a graphic mapping module to allow a user to reuse and reorient mapping tiles for one or more groups of tracking devices from one or more mapping service providers in accordance with one or more user defined algorithms. In addition, other method steps may include an account services module in response to detecting the successful user login, the account services module comprising menu options in the personalized format to the user. In one variant, the menu options include a XML format document having a wizard menu enabling the user to navigate and enter billing information, identification settings of one or more tracking devices, and log contact information in a contact book to contact individuals. In another embodiment, the method may include the step of providing one or more alert messages associated with one or more groups of tracking devices in response to detecting a successful user login.
These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
Table 1 illustrates a partial listing of an FLA File that integrates graphical mapping tiles from Virtual Earth, Google, and Yahoo for use with the Location Dashboard Display Module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Reference is now made to the drawings wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.
As used herein, the terms “location coordinates” refer without limitation to any set or partial set of integer, real and/or complex location data or information such as longitudinal, latitudinal, and elevational positional coordinates.
As used herein, the terms “tracking device” refers to without limitation to any integrated circuit (IC), chip, chip set, system-on-a-chip, microwave integrated circuit (MIC), Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC), low noise amplifier, power amplifier, transceiver, receiver, transmitter and Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) that may be constructed and/or fabricated. The chip or IC may be constructed (“fabricated”) on a small rectangle (a “die”) cut from, for example, a Silicon (or special applications, Sapphire), Gallium Arsenide, or Indium Phosphide wafer. The IC may be classified, for example, into analogue, digital, or hybrid (both analogue and digital on the same chip and/or analog-to-digital converter). Digital integrated circuits may contain anything from one to millions of logic gates, invertors, and, or, nand, and nor gates, flipflops, multiplexors, etc. on a few square millimeters. The small size of these circuits allows high speed, low power dissipation, and reduced manufacturing cost compared with board-level integration.
As used herein, the terms “wireless data transfer”, “wireless tracking and location system”, “positioning system,” or “wireless positioning system” refers to without limitation to any wireless system that transfers and/or determines location coordinates using one or more devices, such as Global Positioning System (GPS). The terms “Global Positioning System” refer to without limitation any services, methods, or devices that utilize GPS technology that determine a position of a GPS receiver based on measuring signal transfer times between satellites having known positions and the GPS receiver. The signal transfer time for a signal is proportional to a distance of the respective satellite from the GPS receiver. The distance between the satellite and the GPS receiver may be converted, utilizing signal propagation velocity, into the respective signal transfer time. The positional information of the GPS receiver is calculated based on distance calculations from at least four satellites.
As used herein, the terms “AGPS”, “Assisted GPS”, or “A-GPS”, refers to without limitation any services, methods, or devices that utilizes an assistance server to help reduce required time to determine a location using GPS (such as in urban areas, when the user is located in “urban canyons”, under heavy tree cover, or even indoors.) The development of AGPS is fuelled, in part, by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's E911 to have location coordinates of a mobile device available to emergency call dispatchers. In A-GPS networks, the receiver, has limited processing power and normally under less than ideal locations for position fixing, and communicates with the assistance server that has high processing power and access to a reference network. Since the A-GPS receiver and the Assistance Server share tasks, it provides a capability to provide more efficient location tracking capability than regular GPS, and improved cellular coverage.
As used herein, the terms “wireless communication system” refers to, without limitation, any system that uses communication stations and a wireless location means for determining positional coordinates such as Global Positioning Radio Service (GPRS).
As used herein, the term “network” refers to, without limitation, any telecommunications network, data network, or Voice Over IP (VOIP) network, satellite, radio, microwave, millimeter-wave, RF wireless, RF cable, optical, and networking protocols (such as IEEE 802.11g), transmission media, and communications connections any combinations thereof
As used herein, the term “server” refers to, without limitation, any computer element that stores or transfers data, information, or computer applications between one or more computer devices, mobile phones, laptop computers, user computer terminal, or the like, utilizing a network.
As used herein, the term “module” refers to, without limitation, any software sequence or hardware configuration, executable code, XML programming language code, Flash mapping code, Macromedia/Adobe Flash vector-graphics file format, FLA mapping programming code sequence, SWF files, SWF programming code sequence, SWF Action Script Files, Internet Browser Loadable Script files, Action Script files, AJAX-based (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) API web mapping codes, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), dynamically rendered vector-based points, software code sequence, software program, software executable code, firmware, hardware unit, or the like.
Overview
In one salient feature, the present invention discloses a location tracking method and system, to provide a web interface to display location information associated with tracking devices, back-end systems, and to direct monitoring, displaying, and calculating, inter alia, location coordinates of a tracking device. In one embodiment, the system generates a personalized user profile to organize, control, and store location of one or more tracking devices associated with one or more groups of objects or individuals. The personalized user profile may include one or more user selectable icons (or upload picture (e.g., JPEG or GIF)) icons to monitor on a map display. Upon successful user logon authentication, the system performs a status check and generates one or more alert messages associated with one or more groups of tracking devices to display on a location management dashboard module. A location management dashboard module depicts a listing of one or more groups of tracking devices capable of a user monitoring or requesting monitoring information. One or more wizard menus prompts a user to enter or update personal information, generate or update entries a contact book, and request information associated with past or current status of one or more groups of tracking devices. In another embodiment, if location coordinates of a tracking device (in one or more groups) violates one or more rules defined by a subscriber of the system, the subscriber (or a designated guardian or representative or individuals in a contact book) may be notified through, for example, wireless telephone, plain old telephone system (POTS), Internet, text message, email, vibration, sound, voice, or the like. A graphical mapping module is disclosed to provide mapping tiles from multiple mapping service providers in response to user request for location information of a tracking device associated with an object or an individual. A wizard menu enables the user to reorient an initial request for mapping tiles in a different layout or view format without requiring access to a mapping service provider website. Alert messages associated with the tracking device are generated in accordance with selected coverage zones and dashboard management tools are included in a complied file that is readily accessible by user requests for zooming in and out functionality
Broadly, the present invention generally provides a system and method for monitoring, locating and tracking an individual or an object. The system produced according to the present invention may find beneficial use for locating and tracking people, such as missing, lost, or abducted persons, Alzheimer's syndrome patients, or mentally ill persons. The system may also be useful for locating and tracking animals. Additionally, objects, such as vehicles, goods, and merchandise may be located and tracked with the system produced by the present invention. Although the following discussion may use lost or abducted child as an exemplary demonstration, it is to be understood that this discussion is not limiting and that the present invention may be used in other suitable applications.
Exemplary Systems
Referring now to
Moreover, it will be recognized that the present invention may find utility beyond purely tracking and monitoring concerns. For example, the “tracking device” and “user selected coverage zones” described subsequently herein may conceivably be utilized to improve displaying and monitoring applications to achieve increased computational efficiency and accuracy of calculated quantities. The calculated quantities may include object velocity (traveling during an assembly process) to determine which process portions are running efficiently and which portions may require improvements or modifications. Other functions might include monitor and track properties of electronic module assembly (e.g., display of electrical properties and measurement parameters during testing and/or operations before, during, or after wireless module completion, and so forth). Myriad of other functions will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure.
Product Activation
Referring to
Service Login
Referring to
My Account
Referring to
Identification
Referring to
Contact Book
Referring to
Limited Access
Referring to
Location Management Dashboard
Referring to
Alert
In one embodiment, upon successful acknowledgement of a subscriber log on, alert messages (see
Mapping
Referring to
Referring to
In one user defined situation, an alert message may be generated when Little Dave exceeds a specified distance from a specified set of location coordinates. Furthermore, individuals in contact book 116 may be notified in accordance with, for instance, recognition of a breach condition. In one embodiment, the breach condition may be in accordance with one or more user defined criteria. In another embodiment, a breach condition may result from an occurrence of one or more (e.g., user) specified events.
For instance, the user defined criteria may include: notification to an individual in contact book 116 having a closest stored address to a last known or current address of the tracking device 102 requesting, for instance, a positive acknowledgement to an outgoing alert message, notification based on oldest to youngest family member, last contacted individual known available from contact book 116, or the like. The happening of one or more specified events may include notification of another individual in the contact book 116 upon multiple failed requests for a first recipient to acknowledge receipt of an alert message.
In contrast to many conventional location and tracking devices, such as RFID, a tracking device of the present invention advantageously provides capability of nationwide and global location coordinates monitoring and tracking of persons or objects. Advantageously, the present invention being a multi-format location and tracking service may utilize a multitude of devices (e.g., desktop computer, laptop computer, land-line phone, mobile phone, personal digital assistant, or the like, because it does not utilize a specialized data format; thus, this service does not require a specialized data reader, e.g., RFID reader, to read data. Furthermore, unlike other conventional identification systems, the service provided by the present invention does not require a tracking device, such as tracking device 102, being physically constrained within a specified distance to be read by a reader, e.g., a RFID reader.
Furthermore, the service of the present invention being in XML format provides a universal format so location coordinates may be readily communicated (e.g., via Bluetooth) between various computer and personal assistant formats such as a laptop computer and a wireless device, such as a mobile phone. Consequently, the service depicted by the present invention either semi-automatically or automatically adjusts to a software platform or Internet Browser including Safari 3.5 software. In addition, an identification code may be regenerated for a tracking device (on a periodic basis or upon occurrence of a security breach as discussed previously incorporated by reference U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/753,979 filed on May 25, 2007, whereas RFID devices have a security code that is preprogrammed and (once cracked), all RFID devices having the security code are vulnerable to unauthorized detection.
To understand methodology of the service 100 (e.g., location and tracking device interface) of the present invention, an exemplary example of its use is discussed supra. In this example, a user provides a request signal to obtain location coordinates of a first tracking device. The first tracking device provides a first reply signal that comprises a first identification code to identify the tracking device. The location coordinates are displayed of the first tracking device to the user in response to the request signal. A second tracking device of one or more groups of tracking devices has a second transceiver to receive the first reply signal, compare the first identification code to a stored identification code, and communicate to a monitoring station a second reply signal. The second reply signal comprises the location coordinates of the first tracking device in part responsive to verification of the first identification code.
Coverage Zone
Referring to
With regards to zones of coverage (e.g., unsafe zone 262, safe zone 260), a user modifies or deletes one or more of these at one or more periodic (in one variant, one or more a periodic) intervals. In one variant, zones of coverage may be automatically generated and deleted. In one embodiment, one or more overlapping user defined coverage zones (e.g., created by coverage zone 253 that overlaps zones 260 and 262 shown in
Referring to
Missing Persons Report
Upon failure to locate Little Dave (cannot be found using the pocketfinder service), a missing person's report 278 is automatically prepared (see
Battery Conservation
If a tracking device 102 looses contact with a monitoring station, a battery management module (e.g., represented graphically by battery icons 220 (for Mom) and 240 (for Little Dave) in
In another embodiment, an expanded cellular network is created by pocketfinder devices having proximate location coordinates, e.g., nearby devices generate relative tracking location coordinates between each other or a central monitoring station to increase a monitoring range of a tracking device. Consequently, in the expanded cellular network, a momentary loss of communication, a communication dead zone, between one and more tracking device has the capability of not thwarting monitoring of the tracking device.
In another embodiment, upon a user loosing connectivity with a tracking device, the user waits until another specified period to power-on (e.g., provide operational power to the tracking device) before monitoring; thus, the tracking device battery power is conserved when occupying a communication dead zone. In another embodiment, the tracking device bursts location coordinates (at specified intervals) to conserve tracking device battery life (allowing the tracking device to power-off or move to a low-power level). In another embodiment, a safety zone of the tracking device indicates when a tracking device is detected proximal to an area of a known criminal or sex offender.
Exemplary Methods
Referring to
Mapping Application Overview
Referring to
In one embodiment, receipt of and source of mapping tiles is in accordance with requested information, features, or map details custom tailored to their individual (or group) mapping needs. For instance, module 500 monitors a user's account, e.g., which may be incorporated as part of look-up mapping service provider table 512, and determined if overspent, for instance, for one or more mapping service providers, e.g., a user billing account may be over-budget with a first mapping service provider. In this embodiment, module 500 automatically switches to another account, e.g., a user billing account that is under budget or underutilized with a second mapping service provider. User billing account information accesses pocketfinder server/database 511. In one instance, pocketfinder server/database 511 incorporates look-up mapping service provider table 512 (including user billing account information) and module 500. In another embodiment, the user billing account information may be part of or associated with an overlay object in an FLA file, as shown in Table 1, which may be downloaded to a user's Internet browser 502.
In one embodiment, module 500 switches between mapping service providers web services, e.g., 504, 506, 508, to maintain location coordinate coverage in an event that a chosen mapping service provider has lost service (e.g., power outage within a city or city block where the provider is located) and another provider is available (e.g., mapping service provider 504 is down for scheduled maintenance or updating satellite mapping capability and mapping service provider 506 has current mapping tiles).
In one variant, module 500 using look-up mapping service provider table 512, which is updated on a regular or semi-periodic basis, determines from which mapping service provider one or more groups of mapping tiles include more robust mapping features (e.g., recently updated geographical satellite mapping was zoomed in and zoomed out). In one embodiment, after recent mapping updating, second mapping service provider 506 may more fully meet a user's coordinate information needs than a current, e.g., first mapping service provider. For example, a second mapping service provider may have better mapping coverage along the West Coast of North America than a first mapping service provider coverage based mainly in the East Coast of North America. Furthermore, a second mapping service provider may be, for instance, currently updating their mapping service tile(s) and be momentarily inaccessible (temporarily even though total website outages are rare) while a first mapping service provider may be currently available; thus, user's location coordinate request switched between mapping service providers maintains substantially, continuous contact with location coordinate information of a tracking device.
In another embodiment, first mapping service provider may be over-utilized (over capacity) during a portion of the day, e.g., rush hour. Accordingly, module 500 redirects user mapping service requests to an underutilized mapping service provider, e.g., switches user requests between mapping service providers based on, for instance, mapping service provider website uptime, internet access speed, and available internet bandwidth. In another embodiment, module 500 reduces a number of flash mapping tile hits when a user zooms into and out of one or more mapping tiles because, in many cases, an initial or single mapping tile request may meet a user's mapping needs, e.g., meeting subsequent and additional user requested information.
In one embodiment, using Adobe Flash CS3 action script coding and XML device stream, a request for tracking device location information including dashboard management module 189 controls, e.g., zoom-in, zoom-out, compass functionality, mapping directionality and panning functionality, are, in instance stored in pocketfinder server/database 511 (a database and/or a server) and/or partially resident on a user's Internet Browser 502 or as part of an overlay object (part of an FLA file) or a file stored on a user's computer. In one variant, dashboard management module 189 incorporates user accesses account services module (e.g., my account 110) and/or location management dashboard 189 associated with a subscribers account.
In one exemplary embodiment of the above concepts, the module 500 compiles an FLA file that becomes an SWF file, for instance, having embedded user functionality, such as mapping capabilities described in the FLA disclosed in Table 1. The inventive system integrates location coordinate information 514 of a tracking device (not shown) and a user's mapping request (input into Internet Browser 502) into one or several files resident on a user's computer. In one alternative, the location coordinate information 514 may be stored as part of pocketfinder server/database 511. In one embodiment, zone management tools 516, e.g., those described previously with relation to location dashboard management module 189, as well as optionally human interactive features 518 (e.g., zoom and pan capabilities discussed in subsequent embodiments) are added to the FLA file (e.g., example FLA file illustrated in Table 1), and subsequently embedded and complied using module 500 into an SWF file 520. To further illustrate these as well as other advantages, an example is provided that illustrates advantages of the mapping service provider application.
Mapping Application Exemplary Embodiments
Referring to embodiment of
In contrast to conventional mapping service provider systems and websites, the present invention mapping system (in one embodiment) stores, for instance, in a look-up mapping service provider table 512, variables and updatable information associated with one or multiple mapping service provider(s), e.g., a first, second, third . . . mapping service providers 504, 506, and 508 (see
In another variant, the look-up mapping service provider table 512 includes information that a third mapping service provider provides more complete or detailed mapping coverage for child 566 moving through high terrain or wooded regions or, in yet another variant, if child 566 traveled outside an immediate mapping tile or mapping tile coverage area. In another variant, the mapping tiles are reoriented (e.g., repositioned or switched in orientation) in response to a user request. In response to this user request, one mapping service provider may be contacted before another mapping service provider based upon a priority scheme, e.g., stored in look-up mapping service provider table 512.
Referring to
With regards to “Alert Zones”, a user modifies or deletes one or more of these at one or more periodic (in one variant, one or more a periodic) intervals. In one variant, “Alert Zones” may be automatically generated and deleted. In one embodiment, one or more overlapping user defined alert zones may designate, for instance, a relative distance and/or region, for instance, “Alert on Enter”, “Alert on Exit”, and “Alert on Exit or Enter” in response to a tracking device coordinate location information. Referring to
In another embodiment, a relative location coordinate error margin between “Alert Zone” and “Alert on Exit” from “Alert Zone” prevents a false alert being generated and communicated to a user. Referring to
Continuing with this embodiment, a priority scheme (e.g., module algorithm associated with pocketfinder 511 server/database and accessible by look-up mapping service provider table 512) includes software module variables for selecting a mapping service provider such as, but not limited to, the following: mapping service provider(s) real-time and legacy performance statistics including: available Internet communication bandwidth, concurrent user capability, current user usage on a per mapping service provider basis, projected user requests on a mapping service provider based on prior usage statics, relative or absolute Internet Browser search capability for user defined tile sequences in accordance with period or time of day, type of mapping tile, quantity of requested mapping tiles, details of requested user information on a particular mapping tile, or expected or prior Browser downtime associated with one or more mapping service providers.
In one embodiment, a user's account with one mapping service provider may be underutilized for a specified period or have an accumulated amount of credit whereas another mapping service provider account may have a large available balance (credit) from which a user's requests may be charged from. In one embodiment to minimize or reduce Internet Browser bandwidth requirements, e.g., by decreasing number of required mapping tile requests while tracking objects or persons, the mapping tile and the location coordinate information for each child and pet are translated to an overlay object, e.g., module code sequence. In one variant, the overlay object is embedded in the mapping tiles. In one instance, the mapping tiles are loaded into the user's Internet Browser 502. In one embodiment, user interactive tools, such as location management dashboard module 189 described above, are integrated into the overlay object to further improve user accessing response time.
In one embodiment, a user utilizes the overlay object to zoom in and out of the requested mapping tile without additional mapping tile requests because the overlay object includes both the tracking device location information, user mapping request, and location management dashboard module 189 including, for instance, zones of coverage. In one variant, mapping tile reorientation (and user flexibility of utilizing mapping tiles) is maximized because zone management tools and human interaction tools, such as controls, e.g., zoom in and out and compass directivity controls, for location management dashboard module 189, are imbedded and compiled into the SWF file 520. Continuing with this embodiment, map manipulation tools, such as mapping orientation and reorientation, are resident, e.g., built into, the software codes associated with the mapping tiles previously provided by one or multiple mapping service providers. The software codes includes, for instance, zone management tools, such as those previously described, and human interactive functions embedded to and further compiled to create, for instance, SWF file, e.g., downloaded file 520. In one embodiment, SWF file compilations are based in part on FLA file extracted from one or more mapping service providers.
In another variant, the flash page algorithm may not be installed or blocked from a user's Internet browser. In this variant, a user may utilize the mapping tile pages without the flash page algorithm installed or blocked; in this instance, the mapping tile pages display script code indicates a link to download flash mapping algorithm, e.g., part of module 500. As a consequence, a user may download the required script code and begin utilizing flash mapping algorithm, e.g., module 500. In one alternative embodiment, the script code and a display of a static image on a screen display map, e.g., a GIF image indicates basic tracking device location coordinate information, e.g., latitude and longitude of the tracking device that is last known, available to a user when required script code is unavailable or inaccessible or selected by a user.
Referring to
In step 602, after user's access privileges are authenticated, a map is provided using, for instance, location management dashboard 189 (see
In step 606, a mapping service provider website is accessed, for instance, based on current bandwidth usage statistics or based on stored information in a mapping table accessible by the module 500. In one embodiment, module 500 contacts first mapping service provider website to access mapping tile information associated with Little Dave's location. If first mapping service provider website is busy, e.g., over utilized or has sluggish response time, then a second mapping service provider website is contacted. Furthermore, if a third mapping service provider is not available or sluggish, then other mapping service providers are contacted until available, e.g., n mapping service providers (where n can be any integer value).
In another embodiment, to prevent overloading first mapping service provider website, for instance, an initial request for location coordinate information associated with Little Dave, module 500 requests a third mapping service provider website to access mapping tile information associated with Spaz. As such, module 500 staggers usage of mapping service providers between and among multiple user requests to improve bandwidth responsiveness of mapping service providers as well as a user's or subscriber's computer system.
In step 608, Little Dave's and Spaz's associated mapping tiles and/or identification parameters and/or location information, e.g., current, last known, estimated, or calculated, are associated with or loaded into overlay object. In one embodiment, overlay object may previously reside on a user's computer. In another embodiment, overlay object be downloaded and stored locally in a local hard disk drive of a user's computer in response to a user's information request. Furthermore, the overlay object may be downloaded onto an alternative database or website, e.g., pocketfinder server/database 511 or even accessible through pocketfinder.com website 502.
Continuing with step 608, module 500 creates or updates overlay object in response to user inputs. In one exemplary embodiment, module 500 includes software code that creates a flash location coordinate mapping module that is downloadable to a user's computer. In one instance, module 500 loads (or inputs) Little Dave's and Spaz's location coordinates. In one variant, loading of mapping tiles associated with Little Dave's and Spaz's location coordinate information into overlay object are substantially undetected by a user. In another variant, loading of Little Dave's and Spaz's location coordinate information into overlay object are substantially undetected by a user. In yet another variant, functionality of the dashboard management module 189 is loaded into the overlay object. In one alternative variation, dashboard management module 189 includes Little Dave's zones of coverage and Spaz's zones of coverage.
Advantageously, the present invention, in one embodiment, integrates any or all the following: Little Dave's zones of coverage, Spaz's zones of coverage, and management tools associated with tracking Little Dave and Spaz as well as other features, such as those discussed in disclosed with reference to
In step 610, user may request reorientation of the mapping tiles resident in the overlay object, as shown, for instance, in Table 1, stored locally on their computer system. As a consequence, this invention advantageously allows user to reorient mapping tile(s) layout without reconnecting with a mapping service provider; thus, user time response of these subsequent location requests are improved as compared to conventional systems requiring reconnecting with a mapping service provider to receive additional views or perspectives of a previously submitted user mapping requests. As such, the present invention provides improved bandwidth responsiveness over conventional single mapping systems requiring a user to repeatedly gain access mapping titles on a mapping service provider website. For instance, the present invention, by not repeatedly requiring access to conventional single mapping systems would prevent mapping service providers being overloaded by mapping requests that may be periodically down or overloaded with mapping requests or implementing hardware or software upgrades that prevent or limit user accessibility.
In one exemplary embodiment of step 610, module 500 loads mapping information, e.g., for Little Dave or Spaz, such as user requested mapping tiles, into an overlay object. As a consequence, user requirement is reduced or eliminated for repeated accessing a mapping service provider's website, for instance, obtaining mapping tile information, for instance, when requesting mapping tile reorientation (e.g. zoom in or access mapping information, for instance, off from a central location of an initial mapping request) is within a given range of mapping tiles, e.g., perimeter of mapping tiles, previously downloaded as part of, e.g., an initial user request. In addition, user flexibility is improved because mapping tiles may be optimized for result/response time, for instance, by accessing a mapping service provider website being underutilized (e.g., not overloaded by user requests). In one embodiment, module 500 by staggering usage of mapping service provider's website bandwidth usage, e.g., first, second, and third mapping service provider websites . . . bandwidth is more efficiently utilized.
Advantageously, the present invention incorporates user interactivity and enhanced mapping resolution, e.g., multiple mapping tiles, e.g., surrounding a boundary region, from multiple mapping service providers, for instance, based on an initial user's request. In yet another embodiment, SWF file, e.g., downloaded file 520, has embedded zone management tools and human interaction tools, such as location management dashboard 189 to manipulate multiple mapping tiles into one or more user requested zoom in or zoom out or repositioning requests for mapping views. Thus, the present invention by downloading zoomed in and zoomed out mapping tiles at least partially response to a user requests provides more flexibility so that subsequent user request many not require re-accessing or revisiting a mapping service provider website.
In one variant of the above embodiment, the SWF file, e.g., downloaded file 520, has the map manipulation tools, such as map orientation and reorientation resident, e.g., built into, the software codes associated with the mapping tiles. The software codes includes, for instance, zone management tools, such as those previously described above, and human interactive functions embedded into and compiled to create, for instance, a SWF file.
As discussed in the embodiments, the present invention creates graphical images or snap shots of a perimeter of graphical areas (both zoomed in and zoomed out versions) based on a user's request so that subsequent requests, e.g., within a mapping range selected by, for instance, pocketfinder server/database 511, so as to capture and make available alternative mapping views for subsequent user mapping reorientation requests. Furthermore, based a user specific historical statistics, other user graphical information may also be captured during a user's initial request phase. For instance, if a user typically requests information about one child, e.g., child 554, and then historically requests information on another child, e.g., child 558, then mapping tiles for both children 554, child 558 will be downloaded on an initial user request for either child's coordinates. Similarly, other historical information may be utilized by pocketfinder server/database 511 to further ease a user's accessing mapping tiles (as well as reduce subsequent requests to the same or other mapping service providers).
In one embodiment, the SWF file, e.g., downloaded file 520, compilations are based in part on the FLA file(s) extracted from one or more mapping service providers. For example, a table of mapping service providers, e.g., look-up mapping service provider table 512, may include variables, such as, mapping information capabilities as a function of current usage, predicted outage periods, actual outage periods, and previous statistical usage numbers or based on past occurrences or as a function of geographic region locations.
In this exemplary embodiment, the Flash Mapping Algorithm communicates with pocketfinder server/database 511, e.g., MSSQL database 522 (shown in
In one instance, if all mapping service providers provide a similar level of mapping tile quality and detail features, then pocketfinder server/database 511 may choose to spread dynamically among current and previous user requests available mapping service providers. The spreading out may be in accordance with historical usage information and/or to reduce mapping service provider charges. In event of a mapping service provider outage (which may be uncommon), but any outage may be devastating if and when it occurs. The pocketfinder server/database 511 detects such routing latencies, partial Internet brown outs, or even complete outages. Pocketfinder server/database 511 reconfigures the client Flash mapping application automatically to utilize working mapping service providers without a client even realizing or knowing of the outage.
The FLA file is compiled, for instance, into an Adobe SWF flash file (e.g., downloaded file 520). In one embodiment, when a subscriber logs onto to the pocketfinder website 522 and accesses a billing account, e.g., through a logging on the location dashboard management module 189, an Adobe SWF flash file loads (e.g., downloaded, becomes resident) onto a user's computer and loads into a subscriber's Internet Browser 502. As a consequence, the Adobe SWF flash file (e.g., SWF file) becomes functionality accessible through a subscriber's Internet Browser. The pocketserver/database 511 communicates the SWF file (e.g., downloaded file 520) including mapping routing instructions, e.g., selections from one or more mapping service providers include downloaded flash mapping tiles based at least partially on a user's request. In one exemplary embodiment, downloaded flash mapping tiles include mapping tiles about a perimeter or region of the user's request.
In one variant, pocketfinder server/database 511 accesses the Adobe SWF flash file to provide updated mapping information, e.g., updated mapping tiles if a user requests coordinate information beyond that previous provided by a mapping service provider. In one variant, the Adobe SWF flash file assesses the pocketfinder server/database 511 to obtain updated mapping information. In one embodiment, the SWF flash file loads onto a subscriber Internet Browser 502 and creates a communication portal accessible by flash application. In this embodiment, flash application manipulates graphical mapping tiles previously provided to a user to reduce client and server communication bandwidth requirements. As a consequence, service time and cost are reduced because graphical mapping tile images and shape dimensionality, for instance, are reconfigured (reoriented and panned), for instance, from cached vector image(s) from the previously supplied mapping tiles. The vector tile images are reconfigurable and reorientable based at least in part by user's mapping commands such as map skewing and map zoom functions (e.g., shown in
In one embodiment, user requests for mapping reorientation and tiling are optimized because device location and information sent to or associated with an overlay object; thus, tracking device coordinate information is integrated with mapping requests. Information coordinate management tools (such as from location management dashboard 189) and human interactive functions (such as zoom capability) are imbedded and compiled into the SWF file from the FLA file; thus, imbedded SWF file speeds user mapping tile requests. To utilize the SWF file, user mapping tile request initiates the Flash application software code or downloads the software code on a user's computer. In one example, when a user requests location coordinates, for instance, for little Dave or Spaz, and pocketfinder website 522 generates an SWF file, which is loaded into module 500 including flash application code. In one embodiment, the SWF file is loaded into an HTML page of an Internet Browser using the following code:
As discussed in the previous embodiments, the SWF file allows a user to manipulate mapping tiles loaded into the SWF file (within the limited of the imported mapping tiles) using the directional keys, compass, zoom-in, zoom-out, panning . . . without having to again access a mapping service providers website. Furthermore, the FLA file and a mapping service provider look-up table, e.g., including one or more mapping service providers, provides information include current and past usage history, current mapping service provider readiness status, staggering usage among pocketfinder user requests, based on a particular client's mapping service provider client funds (for instance if overspent) or if a particular mapping service provider provides lower cost maps, details of mapping service provider tiles in order to choose the mapping tiles most appropriate (responsive to) user's requested needs.
The following benefits, for instance, are achieved using the principles of the present invention including: reduced impact on bandwidth usage from mapping service providers by skipping tile retrieval and zooming in on flash tile using user tile mapping control functions, such as zoom-in, zoom-out, pan; reduction on mapping tile transactions; map reorientation and map rotation may be achieved in accordance with requests of a user. For instance, because multiple mapping tiles are integrated into a user's initial request, more degrees of tile mapping is possible than current mapping service providers such as, reorientable views or mapping positioning at 1 to 5 degree increments and CC or CCW revolution with 360 degree custom rotation angles are possible, whereas many conventional providers limit redrawing mapping flexibility. Other benefits include the compiled FLA file, being a Flash Application, is more compatible than other native mapping service provider platforms and the exemplary Flash Mapping algorithm (e.g., part of module 500) provides substantially seamless transitions when requesting services between and among multiple mapping service providers. Furthermore, the present invention provides for automatically switching between mapping service providers based upon location requests and switches between mapping service providers may occur in priority scheme based upon, for instance, mapping service provider(s) up time or speed or equipment availability.
It is noted that many variations of the methods described above may be utilized consistent with the present invention. Specifically, certain steps are optional and may be performed or deleted as desired. Similarly, other steps (such as additional data sampling, processing, filtration, calibration, or mathematical analysis) may be added to the foregoing embodiments. Additionally, the order of performance of certain steps may be permuted, or performed in parallel (or series) if desired. Hence, the foregoing embodiments are merely illustrative of the broader methods of the invention disclosed herein.
While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointed out novel features of the invention as applied to various embodiments, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device or process illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. The foregoing description is of the best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention. This description is in no way meant to be limiting, but rather should be taken as illustrative of the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/935,901 filed on Nov. 06, 2007, entitled “System and Method for Creating and Managing a Personalized Web Interface for Monitoring Location Information on Individuals and Objects Using Tracking Devices”, and this application further incorporates by reference and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/753,979 filed on May 25, 2007, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Locating Individuals and Objects using Tracking Devices.”
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3924102 | Hanekom | Dec 1975 | A |
| 4218582 | Hellman et al. | Aug 1980 | A |
| 4850007 | Marino et al. | Jul 1989 | A |
| 5079541 | Moody | Jan 1992 | A |
| 5127042 | Gillig et al. | Jun 1992 | A |
| 5353331 | Emery et al. | Oct 1994 | A |
| 5386468 | Akiyama et al. | Jan 1995 | A |
| 5432542 | Thibadeau et al. | Jul 1995 | A |
| 5541976 | Ghisler | Jul 1996 | A |
| 5565909 | Thibadeau et al. | Oct 1996 | A |
| 5592173 | Lau et al. | Jan 1997 | A |
| 5785181 | Quartararo, Jr. | Jul 1998 | A |
| 5862511 | Croyle et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
| 5876765 | Hinterlechner | Mar 1999 | A |
| 5967841 | Bianca et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
| 5973599 | Nicholson et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
| 6088453 | Shimbo | Jul 2000 | A |
| 6141356 | Gorman | Oct 2000 | A |
| 6236365 | LeBlanc et al. | May 2001 | B1 |
| 6243039 | Elliot | Jun 2001 | B1 |
| 6278370 | Underwood | Aug 2001 | B1 |
| 6300875 | Schafer | Oct 2001 | B1 |
| 6327533 | Chou | Dec 2001 | B1 |
| 6388612 | Neher | May 2002 | B1 |
| 6414629 | Curcio | Jul 2002 | B1 |
| 6441741 | Yoakum | Aug 2002 | B1 |
| 6445921 | Bell | Sep 2002 | B1 |
| 6453037 | Welter, Jr. | Sep 2002 | B1 |
| 6498797 | Anerousis et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
| 6546253 | Chow et al. | Apr 2003 | B1 |
| 6611755 | Coffee et al. | Aug 2003 | B1 |
| 6633835 | Moran et al. | Oct 2003 | B1 |
| 6654883 | Tatebayashi | Nov 2003 | B1 |
| 6674368 | Hawkins et al. | Jan 2004 | B2 |
| 6708028 | Byrne | Mar 2004 | B1 |
| 6716101 | Meadows | Apr 2004 | B1 |
| 6732090 | Shanahan et al. | May 2004 | B2 |
| 6735630 | Gelvin et al. | May 2004 | B1 |
| 6747561 | Reeves et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
| 6754470 | Hendrickson et al. | Jun 2004 | B2 |
| 6768942 | Chojnacki | Jul 2004 | B1 |
| 6774838 | Sun | Aug 2004 | B2 |
| 6778089 | Yoakum | Aug 2004 | B2 |
| 6812824 | Goldinger et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
| 6819247 | Birnbach et al. | Nov 2004 | B2 |
| 6833787 | Levi | Dec 2004 | B1 |
| 6850252 | Hoffberg | Feb 2005 | B1 |
| 6859533 | Wang et al. | Feb 2005 | B1 |
| 6879244 | Scalisi | Apr 2005 | B1 |
| 6882897 | Fernandez | Apr 2005 | B1 |
| 6928280 | Xanthos et al. | Aug 2005 | B1 |
| 6937726 | Wang | Aug 2005 | B1 |
| 6952181 | Karr et al. | Oct 2005 | B2 |
| 6975941 | Lau | Dec 2005 | B1 |
| 6978021 | Chojnacki | Dec 2005 | B1 |
| 6988026 | Breed et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
| 6992584 | Dooley et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
| 6998985 | Reisman et al. | Feb 2006 | B2 |
| 6998995 | Nakajima | Feb 2006 | B2 |
| 7020701 | Gelvin et al. | Mar 2006 | B1 |
| 7038590 | Hoffman et al. | May 2006 | B2 |
| 7049957 | Watson | May 2006 | B2 |
| 7064711 | Strickland et al. | Jun 2006 | B2 |
| 7065244 | Akimov | Jun 2006 | B2 |
| 7065348 | Aoki | Jun 2006 | B1 |
| 7065370 | Ogaki et al. | Jun 2006 | B2 |
| 7079650 | Knudsen | Jul 2006 | B1 |
| 7088242 | Aupperle et al. | Aug 2006 | B2 |
| 7088252 | Weekes | Aug 2006 | B2 |
| 7099921 | Engstrom et al. | Aug 2006 | B1 |
| 7109868 | Yoakum | Sep 2006 | B2 |
| 7119669 | Lundsgaard et al. | Oct 2006 | B2 |
| 7120928 | Sheth et al. | Oct 2006 | B2 |
| 7139396 | Montgomery et al. | Nov 2006 | B2 |
| 7146367 | Shutt | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7149189 | Huntington et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7155238 | Katz | Dec 2006 | B2 |
| 7158912 | Vock et al. | Jan 2007 | B2 |
| 7181192 | Panasik et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
| 7200673 | Augart | Apr 2007 | B1 |
| 7218242 | Scalisi et al. | May 2007 | B2 |
| 7246007 | Ferman | Jul 2007 | B2 |
| 7257836 | Moore et al. | Aug 2007 | B1 |
| 7268700 | Hoffberg | Sep 2007 | B1 |
| 7272212 | Eberle et al. | Sep 2007 | B2 |
| 7272662 | Chesnais et al. | Sep 2007 | B2 |
| 7284191 | Grefenstette et al. | Oct 2007 | B2 |
| 7292223 | Suprun et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
| 7299277 | Moran et al. | Nov 2007 | B1 |
| 7302634 | Lucovsky et al. | Nov 2007 | B2 |
| 7313825 | Redlich et al. | Dec 2007 | B2 |
| 7501952 | Forster | Mar 2009 | B2 |
| 7501984 | Forster et al. | Mar 2009 | B2 |
| 7598855 | Scalisi et al. | Oct 2009 | B2 |
| 7612663 | Sun | Nov 2009 | B2 |
| 7626499 | Burneske et al. | Dec 2009 | B2 |
| 7728724 | Scalisi et al. | Jun 2010 | B1 |
| 7742774 | Oh et al. | Jun 2010 | B2 |
| 7995994 | Khetawat et al. | Aug 2011 | B2 |
| 20010030667 | Kelts | Oct 2001 | A1 |
| 20010048364 | Kalthoft et al. | Dec 2001 | A1 |
| 20020041328 | LeCompte et al. | Apr 2002 | A1 |
| 20020067256 | Kail, IV | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| 20020077130 | Owensby | Jun 2002 | A1 |
| 20020180602 | Yoakum | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20020186135 | Wagner | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20020196123 | Diehl et al. | Dec 2002 | A1 |
| 20030043200 | Faieta et al. | Mar 2003 | A1 |
| 20030131073 | Lucovsky et al. | Jul 2003 | A1 |
| 20030177094 | Needham et al. | Sep 2003 | A1 |
| 20030208518 | Gura et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
| 20030210262 | Gahm et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
| 20030212729 | Eberle et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
| 20030235307 | Miyamoto | Dec 2003 | A1 |
| 20040010689 | Vanstone et al. | Jan 2004 | A1 |
| 20040021573 | Hoffman et al. | Feb 2004 | A1 |
| 20040165726 | Yamamichi et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
| 20040166879 | Meadows et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
| 20040172403 | Steele et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
| 20040212493 | Stilp | Oct 2004 | A1 |
| 20050012620 | Yoakum | Jan 2005 | A1 |
| 20050024201 | Culpepper et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
| 20050044356 | Srivastava et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
| 20050071282 | Lu et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
| 20050071736 | Schneider et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
| 20050099303 | Suckerman | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20050113124 | Syrjarinne et al. | May 2005 | A1 |
| 20050145688 | Milenkovic et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
| 20050159883 | Humphries et al. | Jul 2005 | A1 |
| 20050181870 | Nguyen et al. | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20050188403 | Kotzin | Aug 2005 | A1 |
| 20050202830 | Sudit | Sep 2005 | A1 |
| 20050210260 | Venkatesan et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
| 20050246647 | Beam et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
| 20050248459 | Bonalle et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
| 20060009152 | Millard et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20060084420 | Smith et al. | Apr 2006 | A1 |
| 20060161377 | Rakkola et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
| 20060205416 | Kayzar et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
| 20060206246 | Walker | Sep 2006 | A1 |
| 20060211405 | Scalisi et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
| 20060232429 | Gonzalez | Oct 2006 | A1 |
| 20060253590 | Nagy et al. | Nov 2006 | A1 |
| 20060290497 | Sugata | Dec 2006 | A1 |
| 20070028088 | Bayrak et al. | Feb 2007 | A1 |
| 20070033531 | Marsh | Feb 2007 | A1 |
| 20070053513 | Hoffberg | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070054530 | Bauer et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070057068 | Tsai | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070061303 | Ramer et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070073719 | Ramer et al. | Mar 2007 | A1 |
| 20070083819 | Shoemaker | Apr 2007 | A1 |
| 20070103296 | Paessel et al. | May 2007 | A1 |
| 20070159322 | Garratt Campbell | Jul 2007 | A1 |
| 20070229350 | Scalisi et al. | Oct 2007 | A1 |
| 20070255620 | Tumminaro et al. | Nov 2007 | A1 |
| 20070287473 | Dupray | Dec 2007 | A1 |
| 20070288427 | Ramer et al. | Dec 2007 | A1 |
| 20080010585 | Schneider et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
| 20080028063 | Holmes et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
| 20080059504 | Barbetta et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
| 20080059889 | Parker et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
| 20080088437 | Aninye et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
| 20080090550 | Scalisi et al. | Apr 2008 | A1 |
| 20080108370 | Aninye | May 2008 | A1 |
| 20080109762 | Hundal et al. | May 2008 | A1 |
| 20080129491 | Ruperto | Jun 2008 | A1 |
| 20080171559 | Frank et al. | Jul 2008 | A1 |
| 20080172173 | Chang et al. | Jul 2008 | A1 |
| 20080227473 | Haney | Sep 2008 | A1 |
| 20080228654 | Edge | Sep 2008 | A1 |
| 20080252254 | Osada | Oct 2008 | A1 |
| 20080252459 | Butler et al. | Oct 2008 | A1 |
| 20090098857 | De Atley | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090098903 | Donaldson et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090103722 | Anderson et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090111393 | Scalisi et al. | Apr 2009 | A1 |
| 20090119119 | Scalisi et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
| 20090174603 | Scalisi et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20090177385 | Matas et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20090189807 | Scalisi et al. | Jul 2009 | A1 |
| 20090315706 | Scalisi et al. | Dec 2009 | A1 |
| 20090315767 | Scalisi et al. | Dec 2009 | A1 |
| 20120086571 | Scalisi et al. | Apr 2012 | A1 |
| 20120089492 | Scalisi et al. | Apr 2012 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 10325735 | Dec 1998 | JP |
| 11064480 | Mar 1999 | JP |
| 13074494 | Mar 2001 | JP |
| 1020020001257 | Jan 2002 | KR |
| 1020050063802 | Jun 2005 | KR |
| 1005322589 | Nov 2005 | KR |
| WO-2007107022 | Sep 2007 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20090117921 A1 | May 2009 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11935901 | Nov 2007 | US |
| Child | 12143436 | US |
